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What should you do if your landlord threatens, harasses or attempts to illegally evict you?

Private landlords can sometimes try to get tenants to leave their properties without going through the correct process.

Most residential occupiers have legal rights to protect them against harassment and illegal eviction. This is called the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 (amended by Housing Act 1988) which makes it a criminal offence to harass or unlawfully evict a residential occupier.

The effect of this is that a tenant can continue to remain in the accommodation until the landlord has sought legal possession through the county court. Anyone convicted of harassment or illegal eviction could face a prison sentence of up to two years and/or an unlimited fine.

If you experience this, contact the
Housing Options team as soon as possible to discuss the options available to you.